"Holler" gets Aniston's attention

Actress Jennifer Aniston poses at the Women in Film 2009 Crystal and Lucy Awards in Century City, California June 12, 2009.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Screen Gems and Jennifer Aniston are teaming up to tell a tale of lingering racial tensions in the Deep South.

The company has acquired "Holler" (aka "Mutt"), written by Dana Adam Shapiro, co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Murderball."

Inspired by true events, the script centers on a biracial high school student who returns with his white mother to her hometown in Mississippi, where he falls for a white girl. When prom season arrives at the high school, he is shocked to discover that she cannot be his date at the segregated prom. He soon finds himself a catalyst for change, not only for the prom but for the school and entire town.

HBO on Monday aired a documentary on the same subject, "Prom Night in Mississippi."

The film will be produced by Aniston's partner at Echo Films, Kristin Hahn, along with Tracey Durning. Aniston will executive produce with Jeff Mandel.

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)